| Holy Father's
Address in Praise of Saint Pio
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
1. It is a great joy for me to meet you
again the day after the solemn canonization of the humble Capuchin
of San Giovanni Rotondo. Dear pilgrims and devotees, I greet you
with affection who have gathered in Rome in such large numbers for
this special occasion. I first of all greet the bishops, priests
and religious who are present here. I want to pay special
attention to the Capuchin Franciscans who in communion with the
whole Church praise and thank the Lord for the marvels he has
worked in their exemplary confrere. Padre Pio is an authentic
model of spirituality and humanity, two characteristic features of
the Franciscan and Capuchin tradition.
I greet the members of the "Padre
Pio Prayer Groups" and the representatives of the family of
the "Home for the Relief of Suffering", that great
institution for the treatment and the care of the sick that came
forth from the new saint's charity. I embrace you, dear pilgrims
from the noble land that gave birth to Padre Pio, from the other
regions of Italy and from every part of the world. By your
presence here, you witness to how widespread are devotion to and
confidence in the holy Friar of the Gargano in the Church and on
every continent.
Close to the people, in the Church united
with Christ on the Cross
2. But what is the secret of such great
admiration and love for this new saint? He is first of all a
"friar of the people", a traditional characteristic of
the Capuchins. He is also a saint who is a miraculous healer, as
the extraordinary events which are part of his life attest.
However, above all Padre Pio is a religious who is deeply in love
with the crucified Christ. He even shared physically in the
mystery of the Cross during his life.
He liked to link the glory of Tabor with
the mystery of the Passion, as we read in one of his letters:
"Before exclaiming with St Peter 'Oh how good it is to be
here', it is necessary first to climb Calvary, where one sees only
death, nails, thorns, suffering, extraordinary shadows,
abandonment and fainting" (Epistolario III, p. 287).
Padre Pio, made his journey of demanding
spiritual ascesis in communion with the Church. The temporary
misunderstandings he had with one or other ecclesial authority did
not put a brake on his attitude of filial obedience. Padre Pio was
a faithful and courageous son of the Church and in this situation
following the shining example of the "Poverello" of
Assisi.
He knew how to give people the light of
God in the confessional and at Mass
3. May this holy Capuchin to whom so many
people turn to from every corner of the earth point out to us the
means to reach holiness which is the goal of our life as
Christians. How many faithful in every social condition, from the
most diverse places and the most difficult situations hurried to
ask his help! He knew how to offer them all what they
needed most, which they were often groping for without being fully
aware of it. He passed on to them the comforting and enlightening
Word of God, enabling each person to draw from the sources of his
grace through his diligent dedication to the ministry of the
confessional and the fervent celebration of the Eucharist.
So it was that he wrote to one of his
spiritual daughters: "Do not be afraid to come to the Lord's
altar to be fed with flesh of the Immaculate Lamb, because no one
will better reconcile your spirit than your king, nothing will
warm it more than his sun, and nothing will soothe it better than
his balm" (ibid., p. 944).
Mass celebrated with personal involvement
4. The Mass of Padre Pio! It was an
eloquent reminder to priests of the beauty of the priestly
vocation. For the religious and the lay people who flocked to San
Giovanni Rotondo even at the early morning hours, it was an
extraordinary catechesis on the value and importance of the
Eucharistic sacrifice.
Holy Mass was the heart and the source of
his whole spirituality: "There is in the Mass", lie used
to say, "the whole of Calvary". The faithful who crowded
round his altar were profoundly impressed by the intensity of his
"immersion" in the Mystery, and perceived that "the
Father" participated in his person in the Redeemer's
sufferings.
Love God and do good
5. St Pio of Pietrelcina presented
himself to everyone—priests, men and women religious and lay
people—as a credible witness to Christ and to his Gospel. May
his example and intercession spur everyone to greater love for God
and concrete solidarity with his neighbour, especially those
who are in greatest need.
May the Blessed Virgin Mary, whom Padre
Pio called by the beautiful name of "Our Lady of Grace"
(Santa Maria delle Grazie), help us to follow in the
footprints of this religious who is so beloved by the people!
With this hope, I cordially bless you who
are present here, your loved ones and all who are committed to
following in the spiritual footsteps of the beloved saint of
Pietrelcina. |
